noob question about dual monitors

[futurefields]

Can I run my old 1280 x 1024 monitor alongside my 1080p monitor to use for like browsing game wiki's and stuff so I don't have to alt-tab?

And how much will this affect system performance? like I usually have the internet open underneath the game while using 1 monitor, would it be much different if i have the internet open on a 2nd monitor while gaming on the 1080p?

i5 2500k, 8gb ram, 1gb sapphire 6850

diablo 3, left 4 dead 2, fallout new vegas etc...

thanks,

 

[hokies83]

The slave monitor.. or the extended screen monitor will go black when u start a game in full screen mode. However u can play in window mode and switch between the two.
Im using 2560x1440 IPS and 1920x1080I 120hz 3D for the best of both worlds.. If i want to play a game on the 120hz panel i have to drag the game over to it same with videos etc.

 

[futurefields]

thats dumb why i cant i play a game full screen on 1080p and browse the internet on the 1280x1024 at the same time?

 

[hokies83]

LoL thats what i said to Nvidias tech support lol

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Because Microsoft said so.

When a game goes full screen, it takes over things like cursor control too. If your secondary desktop was still available, how could that work right, for starters?

 

[NTMBK]

thats dumb why i cant i play a game full screen on 1080p and browse the internet on the 1280x1024 at the same time?

Going full screen disables all of the standard desktop layout and compositing chunks of Windows, and just gives the entire screenbuffer over to the game. It's the reason why most games have a serious hit to performance when you run them windowed, because your PC is still dealing with that extra overhead.

 

[djsb]

Many games have a borderless window option to take over a screen's real estate while allowing smooth alt-tabbing, for a negligible performance hit.

And only a precious few games I play in fullscreen actually blank the extended desktop screen. I can't even think of any off the top of my head. I also ran a 6850.

 

[KingFatty]

The slave monitor.. or the extended screen monitor will go black when u start a game in full screen mode. However u can play in window mode and switch between the two.
Im using 2560x1440 IPS and 1920x1080I 120hz 3D for the best of both worlds.. If i want to play a game on the 120hz panel i have to drag the game over to it same with videos etc.

Is the same background image used for both monitors? If so, wow, that really shows how much more information can fit into the 1440p monitor compared to the 1080p monitor - you see so much more information/space on the Yamasaki 1440p.